


hope i'm alive when the story gets old

by everythings_taken_why



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Fix-It, Happy, Happy Ending, Jotunn Loki (Marvel), Jötunheimr | Jotunheim, Miðgarðr | Midgard, Niðavellir | Nidavellir, No Angst, Vanaheimr | Vanaheim, loki uses his powers?? marvel is shook, lokis arc from ragnarok continues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-13
Updated: 2018-05-13
Packaged: 2019-05-06 03:32:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14633198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everythings_taken_why/pseuds/everythings_taken_why
Summary: loki has this huge master plan and actually uses his powers, thor is very angry and sad and basically no one dies?a fix it fic through and through





	hope i'm alive when the story gets old

**Author's Note:**

> title taken from kings by tribe society

Right now, Loki was definitely crossing a thick line with bold letters saying something like _never make me think you’re dead again, brother_ but the end justifies the means.

Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you. Fool me three times, shame on both of us. That’s how that midgardian saying goes, Loki is sure of it.

 

It’s not that he was particularly sorry for making Thor believe he’s dead, it was an important part of his plan, but it definitely pulled on his heart strings to see his brother cry over what looked like Loki’s dead body. Through all the shit they went through he knew he could never stop calling Thor his brother and he could definitely never stop loving him. Where would Thor even be if Loki wasn’t always there to save his big stupid ass? He’d be in Valhalla, no doubt.

He shuddered at the thoughts and scenarios that passed through his mind and ran as fast as he could to the other end of the ship so he could safely teleport himself.

 

So they weren’t supposed to cram over 500 people in one escape pod, even though it was bigger than normal, but that’s what happens when someone other than Loki makes plans.

“Took you long enough,” Valkyrie sighed once she saw a flash of green light in a corner of her eyes and and took off, not daring to look back at the explosion that shook the ship they were in. “Couldn’t leave your big brother behind that easily, huh?”

 

Loki scoffed, ignoring her question and switched the subject to something more important right now. “He’ll be going to Midgard and to the Collector, he needs the reality stone and the time stone.”

 

“Since when is the reality stone with the Collector?” Brunnhilde turned around confusion all over her face.

 

“Right, you missed a lot. Long story short, the dark elves attacked us, my mother died, Thor got it back and I sent it to the Collector.”

 

“I have so many questions, but I suppose those can wait. Okay so what’s our plan?”

 

Loki sat in the co-pilot seat next to her and took a deep breath. “Well for once, I have to believe my brother is smart enough not to do anything impulsive.” He closed his eyes and focused on the energy he felt flowing through him, felt it as an extension of himself just like Frigga taught him. “We’re going to Vanaheim,” he mumbled. In his mind he finally reached what he was looking for and a smirk formed on his lips.

 

A few people shrieked as Heimdall’s body seemingly just fell from the ceiling right in the middle of the ship.

 

Loki turned to see the physical manifestation of his success. Maybe he should’ve trusted his mother when she told him he’d be stronger than her one day.

 

* * *

 

Thor is impulsive and slow, yes. He’d be first to admit that now. But he wasn’t stupid. He needed a plan and if that plan included being saved by Thanos’ daughter, talking rabbit and an extremely annoying human, so be it.

 

He didn’t immediately remember Stormbreaker, but it dawned on him so suddenly he felt like he had a whiplash.

 

“I have to get to Nidavellir.”

 

* * *

 

After what felt like an eternity they reached Vanaheim. Loki was still hovering over Heimdall’s body when Korg punched him in the shoulder and said something about landing. Right, he’s still the crown prince of Asgard, very much responsible for what is left of his people. He straightened up and put his helmet on before facing the king of Vanaheim.

 

See, Loki’s problem right now wasn’t about being a good prince and taking care of his people or talking to other monarchs, his problem was looking his biological brother in the eye and asking for help. First though, he had to finish what he started with Heimdall.

 

After a long talk with the king and making sure everyone was settled and had no problems, Loki made his way into the healing room. Heimdall was tethering on the edge between life and death when Loki managed to teleport him onto their ship, now he was close to waking up, or at least that’s what Loki hoped.

 

* * *

 

Thor knew he should sleep, but it was out of the question. His mind was restless and a small contraption Groot was playing with was too loud either way.

 

He was trying to remember when was the last time he and Loki hugged. It must’ve been at least a decade. More, perhaps. In retrospect, he knew when things between them started to go wrong. Knowing everything he does now he could remember every bad thing that happened between them, every time Odin chose Thor over Loki, every time Thor made the decision for both of them, every time he pushed Loki to be in his shadow. He couldn’t take any of it back, but he only wished he could’ve hugged him one last time.

 

* * *

 

Heimdall woke up with a start, nearly knocking into Loki.

 

“Slow down, you’re okay,” Loki stepped back, giving him some space to gather himself.

 

“We’re in Vanaheim.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Thor?”

 

“Hopefully alive and on his way to Nidavellir.”

 

Heimdall turned to him at that, his eyes squinting, trying to read between the lines. Finally, his shoulders relaxed and he stood up. “Are you sure they won’t kill you the moment you step foot on that planet?”

 

Loki smiled and handed him his sword. “I think I’m way past th-- oh Hel no!”

His daggers were back in his hands as he looked at the mage he met in New York, who somehow managed to appear in Vanaheim royal palace. “You’re lucky my main focus isn’t revenge right now.”

 

Strange just shook his head and approached them slowly. “I’ll be quick. I know your plan and it works with a few tweaks.”

 

Loki looked him up and down before deciding there was no harm in listening.

 

* * *

 

As soon as his boots touched the soft snow beneath them, Loki felt a small bile rise to his throat. Maybe it was from getting beaten by that Midgardian woman with Kree powers few hours ago, but he gave advantage to possibly being killed by his brother in a few moments.

 

He walked for what felt like hours until he finally reached the bottom of the throne. He didn’t remember much from that fateful visit all those years ago, but he did remember the walk so he asked Heimdall if he could leave him in the same place.

 

“You dare to set foot on this planet, _brother_?” Byleistr’s voice boomed from the throne, the vast nothingness around them carrying it for miles.

 

“I’m here to make a deal,” Loki raised his chin and took a breath. _Fake it til you make it, Loki, just like you always do._ “And to apologise.”

 

Byleistr stood up and made his way down to him. “Apologise for what? There’s a whole list of things to answer for.”

 

“For opening Bifröst on you, for acting irrational when I shouldn’t have. For not taking the opportunity that I was given when told the truth.”

 

“And for killing your own father?”

 

“He’s not my father!” It was time for Loki’s voice to resonate among the endless ice. “He left me to die, he didn’t raise me. He _wasn’t_ my father.”

Byleistr watched him curiously, trying to understand what Loki actually wanted from this visit. Whatever his brother said, by all Jotunheim laws he was the king, not Byleistr.

 

Loki tried to calm himself, he definitely wasn’t ready to have heart to heart with his _whole_ family, or so openly admit to still consider Odin his father to anyone but Thor. Or perhaps it was time to finally swallow some of his pride.

 

“I want to officially renounce any claim to the Jotunheim throne that I may still hold,” Loki opened one of his pocket dimensions and pulled the Casket out of it, “and return something home, where it belongs.” He stretched out his hands holding the Casket, waiting for Byleistr to take it.

 

He didn’t thought, he waited until Loki couldn’t fight against the pull the artifact had on his glamor and his skin started turning blue. “You renounce that?” He pointed to Loki’s royal markings and then to the Casket, “and that?”

 

Loki may have come a long way since he found out about his true heritage, but it still made him so irrationally uncomfortable. It just wasn’t him and he couldn’t put a claim on something he would never fully accept. “Yes, it’s all yours.”

 

Byleistr took the Casket from Loki’s hands and turned back to the throne with an unreadable expression, something that made Loki very uneasy.

 

“What do you need Odinson?”

 

* * *

 

It feels like he was making the same speech hundreds of years ago for his father and yet it’s barely been a few days.

“Loki, I bid you take your place in the halls of Valhalla, where the brave shall live forever. Nor shall mourn, but rejoice for those who have died the glorious death.” He took a shaky breath before continuing. “I promise you, brother, Thanos will pay for everything he has done to you, I mean it.

 

“And I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for everything.” He wiped his tears away while standing up and made his way back to Rocket and Groot. This wasn’t the time to mourn, not yet. When all is said and done, when Thanos breathes his last breath, when he pays for killing his people, his brother; then, then he’ll mourn.

 

* * *

 

Telepathically connecting with someone is a huge struggle, doing so with someone on the other end of the universe is even harder. Okay, maybe not as hard when the person you’re trying to connect with is someone Loki used to do it with before he even knew what exactly that was. Frigga explained it to them when they were a few decades old - how much energy is needed, how constant communication hinders the bond sometimes, how special it is to be able to do it.

 

So Loki tried just that, hoping the connection was still there. And it was, strong as ever. He just didn’t expect to hear Thor mourn and swear to avenge his _death_. He quickly pulled himself out of his own mind and sat up. Maybe he should’ve gone a different route instead of faking such a graphic death. Maybe.

 

* * *

 

Byleistr stood beside Heimdall and Brunnhilde, ready to take orders. It was a view Loki was very proud of and deep down he knew Odin would be proud too. “Give me some time, so I can escape if they attack me and the rest should go smoothly.”

 

Loki looked back to the Jotun army that was currently in Vanaheim’s main square. It wasn’t nearly enough to fight off Thanos’ but it will definitely hold off longer than whatever army Midgardians have. Besides, he saw himself fight with his biological brother against Thanos and he learned long time ago that the Tesseract rarely gives false visions. He just hoped this was part of that vision.

 

“Heimdall, you ready?”

 

“Good luck,” It was all he got in reply before he fell face first on an open field, middle of nowhere. Great just great, amazing, good first impression. Well, second.

 

“Where’s Thor?” he heard someone pipe up from the circle of people that surrounded him. He saw the spears around his face first and slightly changed Captain second. A smirk tugged his lips.

 

“I’ll assume he got stuck in traffic,” he stood up and dusted himself off. There were a lot of new people present, including one dressed as a cat, which he decided to ignore. “Seriously, he’ll get here.”

 

“Loki you made it out!”

 

At the shout of his name he turned and found Bruce in a Hulk-sized armour, similar to one that awfully annoying Stark guy wore.

 

“Uh, yeah. No Hulk today?” he asked, hoping no one could read bits of nervousness from his voice.

 

Everyone else watched their interaction with quite a bit of apprehension and fear. Bruce didn’t really manage to tell the whole story of what happened in the past few days but they were aware that Loki was currently tilting towards their side.

 

Bruce shook his head and puffed like an angry child. “Won’t come out since… well since Thanos, I suppose.”

 

Loki’s smile was back at that and he turned back to the group.

 

“Right, listen I have an army to fight against that,” he pointed to the ships that have landed outside of Wakanda’s defence shield. “Promise on my life it’s not a trick.” He turned to Bruce before finishing. “And Brunnhilde is with them too.”

 

“Really? Oh my God, guys, I vouch for that, she’s an amazing warrior and so strong. She will definitely help!”

 

Steve looked helplessly at the attacking aliens that were rushing towards them and then at Natasha and T’Challa.

 

“Bruce, if he turns against us, Hulk better come out.”

 

* * *

 

Thor felt energy flow through him and it wasn’t like before, this time it was so much stronger. Maybe it was from the Stormbreaker, the power of a new mightier weapon, or maybe it was all the pent up rage that was finally coming up to the surface. Loki’s lifeless body kept creeping up on him in his thoughts and each time another wave of anger washed against him. As soon as his feet touched the dry soil of Midgard, he threw Stormbreaker with all his might and power. It was time.

 

“Bring me Thanos!”

 

Loki’s head jerked up at the sound of his brothers voice which the alien he was currently up against took to his advantage and went straight for his head. Loki ducked and the claws landed alongside his arm, tearing through the metal and the leather. If there was one thing, besides magic, that Loki was particularly fond of, it were his outfits. No one touches his outfits. He released his daggers and called forth his seidr before tearing the alien into million little pieces. Right, he should maybe use his magic more often. Noted.

 

A flash of red energy passed by his side crippling another creature on the ground by his feet.

 

“You’re good,” a red haired woman quipped a few feet away.

 

Loki laughed and took a deep breath. “So are you. I’m Loki.”

 

“Wanda,” she quickly replied before turning and going in another direction.

 

“Alright,” he looked to his sides where a few of his material projections appeared. They weren’t hard to do but they were definitely more draining than normal ones. They spread all over the battlefield and above him thunder ripped through the sky at the same time as Thor destroyed another incoming ship. Pride surged through Loki and he attacked as well.

 

Thor tore through everything and anything that stood in his way and sometimes in the corner of his eye he'd see a vision his brother fighting. His mind was definitely playing tricks on him now. He's gone mad now, another Odinson lost the the illness of the mind. At least that’s what he kept telling himself until he finally stopped for a second and found himself looking right at Byleistr and a few of his warriors.

 

“What are you doing here?” he asked, not sure if he should let hope take over him or not.

 

“Fighting for my realm.”

 

Before Thor could say anything else they were off, following a group of Wakandan warriors that found their new target on the edge of a forest and that’s when it happened, the shift in time. Everyone felt it and everyone definitely felt the sudden power wave that hit everyone on that field. Rage took over again and Thor wanted only one thing in that moment; Thanos’ head.

 

Loki saw Stormbreaker absolutely destroy Thanos’ attack from across the field and hoped Strange was right all along, otherwise they were very much screwed.

 

At the same time the sky opened again, this time right above Thanos and Thor and a figure landed next to them.

 

Thor only spared it a glance before returning his full attention to Thanos, not allowing his opportunity to pass. “I told you you’d die for this.” He pushed Stormbreaker deeper into his chest and started planning his torture step by step. In his eyes Thanos did not deserve a slow death.

 

“You should’ve gone f--” a sword was pushed into Thanos’ head before he could finish and his lifeless body fell to the ground.

 

“Always aim for the head when it comes to titans, always. They’re just like you,” the woman spoke up. “Your brother warned me you might need help with that.” Thor was positive he never met her before and that she wasn’t a new member of the Avengers. She seemed Midgardian but her suit had Kree marks.

 

“Holy shit, you’re Carol Danvers,” Natasha spoke up first and extended her arm to her. “You’re sort of a legend.”

 

Others hugged Thor, a few patted his back, but none stuck around. Instead everyone opted to get to know the alleged legend and give Thor space he visibly needed.

 

Thor couldn’t force his mouth to speak, instead he gave the woman a nod through the crowd in hopes it would translate as a thank you and turned back to the small crack between the trees where the battlefield was visible. His eye found the blue of the frost giants easily and among them he searched for the familiar glint of green and gold.

 

“Someone once told me, I could be much more than God of Mischief.”

 

Thor froze and closed his eyes as a fresh wave of tears came flooding in. This time he couldn’t hold it, this time it was relief and sadness and anger that he fooled him once again.

 

“I was thinking of keeping that title though, working in the God of Stories into that as well.” Loki laughed at his brothers shaking figure. “This will be one Hel of a first story.”

 

Thor finally turned around and looked up at his brother. There he was, his trademark grin on his lips. Leather and metal were torn off of his right arm, only pieces were left hanging, and the left horn on his helmet was broken in half.

 

“Hello, brother.”

 

Thor threw himself onto Loki, his arms holding him in place, afraid he might disappear from him. Loki hugged him back just as tightly, his hands clinging to Thor’s cape. “I’m sorry too, Thor.”

 

The rest of the group stopped talking and turned their attention to them. There were no malicious stares or comments, just silence, a welcomed one. Death slipped inches pass them and even though only a few were completely aware of it, it was felt in the air.

 

“Loki,” Thor took a small step back, making sure he was still hugging him. “Never do that again, I mean it this time. Please.”

 

“I won’t, promise.” Loki’s eyes welled up with tears and he laughed. “But you should’ve listened to what I was saying. Anything about being the rightful King of Jotunheim ringing any bells now?” He pulled him back into the hug.

 

“Your majesty.”

 

Heimdall approached slowly, Valkyrie right next to them.

 

Thor finally stepped away from Loki to see his best friend alive and well. “I definitely saw you die.”

 

Heimdall smiled and nodded towards Loki. “The prince told me you couldn’t protect the Nine Realms without a watcher.”

 

“That I cannot,” Thor hugged Heimdall as well and turned back to Loki.

 

To everyone’s apparent horror, Loki had taken upon himself to open a portal with the gauntlet. The group stopped dead in their tracks, not moving a muscle, not quite sure if they should attack the God. The tension was broken when suddenly Tony, Strange, Peter, Nebula and the rest of the Guardians stepped out of the portal. They looked bad, really bad. Steve caught Tony just as he was about to fall down, clinging to his side.

 

“Hey, I got you.”

 

“Shit, Cap, what happened to the clean shave.” Tony groaned in pain, but managed to keep his tone teasing.

 

“It’s just Steve. Besides, there’s a new captain in town,” he nodded towards Carol in her black and green outfit, currently talking to Peter and Star Lord.

 

Tony looked around then and noticed Loki holding the gauntlet and talking to Thor.

 

“Holy shit! The raindeer is back! So you switched sides, huh?”

 

Loki rolled his eyes when Tony finally noticed him and gave him a tight smile. “I bring you two stones and instead of destroying the one you had left you created a robot.” He pointed a look at Vision’s body, Wanda at his side. Loki wasn’t quite sure what was the whole story behind it so decided not to comment any further. If there’s one thing he learned in the past few years, it’s that you should never undermine someone’s sorrow.

 

“He’s gone,” Wanda stood up from her place by Vision and started walking away when T’Challa caught up to her and started pointing the the tower that rose over what seemed like a city coming back to life. Loki heard something about information and successful download and then they were gone.

 

“Hey, Loki,” Carol called him over where she was clearly in a deep conversation with Nebula. He nodded a hello to Nebula and turned his attention to Carol. “You know how the Soul stone was acquired?”

 

“Yes, why?”

 

“Down to bring someone back to life?”

 

“You’re not going anywhere!” Thor interrupted their conversation and pulled Loki aside. “Don’t you think you played with death enough for now?”

 

Loki laughed at his brother’s statement and raised the gauntlet again, activating the space stone. “We made a deal back when I was captured,” Carol stepped through the portal, waiting for Nebula and Loki on the other side, “the girl we’re going for, I kind of owe it to her.”

 

“You have an hour.”

 

“We’ll need more than that you big oaf, relax.” And with that Loki was gone and Thor was attacked with questions. They asked about Stormbreaker, about his brown eye, about the hair, Loki; everything. He answered all their questions and talked about going to Sakaar and finding Bruce. It kept him busy for a while and then everyone finally got back into T’Challa’s tower in the city where they found Vision, alive, trapped in Wanda’s arms.

 

T’Challa was a king here, Thor learned, and his sister was the smartest person on Midgard, her own words. Bruce agreed. She said a lot of sciency stuff, explaining how she brought back Vision. People celebrated, cheered, laughed. Valkyrie and Heimdall talked with Thor about their people settling in Vanaheim for the time being and everything else that happened in between.

Byleistr and his army didn’t stick around much, they said their goodbyes and Heimdall sent them back home. Thor talked with the King of Jotunheim for a bit, quite interested in how they got to Midgard.

 

“I told you, I was fighting for my realm.”

 

“Does your realm include my brother?”

 

“He may say otherwise, but I was raised differently. He’ll always have a place among us if he so wishes. Odinson or Laufeyson, doesn’t matter to me.”

 

And with that they were gone.

 

Thor found himself sitting on a terrace, feet dangling over the edge looking over Wakanda. Sunset was coloring everything in a pale orange glow with a slightly off tinge, like after a huge storm. Loud voices suddenly filled the room behind him and he saw that annoying human, Peter, and Gamora in a loving embrace.

 

“So what now?” Loki then appeared to his left and sat down. “We can’t stay on Vanaheim forever.”

 

“No, I suppose not.” Thor clasped a hand over his brother’s shoulder and turned to him. “We’ll figure something out, _you’ll_ figure something out.”

 

Loki smiled back at Thor and nodded, his attention back to the sunset.

“I told you the sun would shine on us again.”


End file.
